MANILA (3rd Update) -- Malacañang said Friday that the historic meeting between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and United States President Barack Obama is a triumph for all Filipinos.

"It's a historic meeting. It has been a successful one. It was a hit,'' said Acting Executive Secretary Gabriel Claudio in a press briefing at the New Executive Building (NEB).

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"This is not just a triumph for the President, but a triumph for the entire Filipino nation," Claudio added.

Arroyo met Obama on Friday (Philippine time) at the White House in Washington, D.C., making her the first Southeast Asian leader to visit the American president.

During the meeting, Obama has designated the Philippines as the chief coordinator between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Arroyo, in a media interview after the meeting in the White House, said the new role of the Philippines is recognition of the strong ties between the two countries, including their agreement on several issues and how they should be handled.

“President Obama appreciates that role because there are so many things we agree on. For instance, we agree on Burma, North Korea, we agree on counter terrorism based on our cooperation and we agree with the economic integration between America and Asia,” she said.

Arroyo was accompanied by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Speaker Prospero Nograles, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, and former senator and now Presidential Adviser on Climate Change Heherson Alvarez during the 40-minute meeting.

Significant

Acting Executive Secretary Claudio said the new role for the Philippines as coordinator is very significant and important, and that Filipinos should be proud of it.

Claudio said apart from the distinction of Arroyo being the first Southeast Asian leader to visit Obama in the White House, the new role given to the country is another honor and a privilege that the President could take on.

He said Arroyo has already been articulating both the achievements and aspiration of the Southeast Asian region.

Presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo, for her part, described the meeting as successful, especially after achieving the main purpose of the visit which is to “cement” the already strong relations between the two countries.

“The things we talked about, the purpose of this visit, our acceptance of his invitation are very straightforward to strengthen our relations, to make the relationship of the Philippines and the new US president stronger. I think that's what we achieved,” Arroyo herself said.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde echoed Fajardo’s statement, saying over Radio Mindanao Network (RMN)-dzXL radio station that the Obama-Arroyo meeting was very successful.

Impressive

Remonde also said that President Arroyo finds President Obama, America's first black president, "very impressive."

"As a person, President Obama is very cordial, warm and welcoming. And I’m really very impressed about — of his deep understanding and knowledge of the Philippines and the Filipino people — the understanding of the close relationship within the Filipino people and the American people," Arroyo said during the press briefing after the two state leaders' closed-door talk.

Arroyo thanked the US President for the passage of their economic stimulus package that included allocation and granting of release of funds for the benefits and recognition of the military service of Filipino World War II veterans.

She also acknowledged the US for the passage of the American Clean Energy Security Act, which recognizes America’s role in the reduction of carbon emission in the world which contributes to climate change.

Arroyo said she likewise campaigned for the expansion of the trade relations between the Philippines and the US, which Obama had agreed on.

She said she particularly raised the Philippines’ hope for increased export of bananas, garments, carageenan and seaweeds to the US, as she likewise endorsed the passage of a “save our industries” law, which aims to grant duty-free privilege to garments coming from the Philippines that used US-made materials like yarn.

The President also thanked the US for its help in strengthening and professionalizing of the Philippines military, as well as in the country’s pursuit of the peace process and development programs in Mindanao which Obama vowed to continue under his term.

Arroyo said there was no mention about Obama’s visit to the Philippines, especially after announcing that he would start his visit to the Southeast Asian region via Indonesia.

As a token of the Philippines’ appreciation, Arroyo gave pearl cufflinks to Obama and a pearl brooch to the US First Lady.

Obama, for his part, recognized the four million Filipinos living in the United States and their contributions to his nation’s economy.

In a press release, Obama commended Arroyo for her “sound economic policies that mitigated the impact of the global financial crisis within the country” and “mentioned that he was impressed by President Arroyo’s personal charm.”

He also likened the Philippines to a boxer, claiming that while the country is “small” it carries a “strong punch”.

Arroyo said Obama also commented on the Philippines’ present state of politics.

Unflattering

In Manila, the prominent left-wing group Bayan criticized Obama's meeting with Arroyo, saying "it did not result in any clear benefits for the Filipino people."

It also took issue with Obama calling the Philippines "the coordinating country in the US relationship with Asean," saying it is not a very flattering designation.

"It speaks of how the US still considers the Philippines its colonial outpost in Asia. The US expects us to parrot its position within the Asean," Bayan spokesman Renato Reyes said in a statement.

He said the term "coordinating country" makes the Philippines "America's glorified errand boy in the region. We're considered the US surrogate in Southeast Asia."

Prior to her meeting with Obama, President Arroyo met with several lawmakers in Washington, D.C. led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and thanked them for their support to the Filipino veterans.

She also thanked Representative Sheila Jackson for championing the Philippines’ cause and in its bid to the Millennium Challenge Corporation. (JMR/AP/PNA/Sunnex)